Switch-operating mechanism.



o. 790,450. PATENTED MAY 23, 1905.

' E. MOORE; v

SWITCH OPERATING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 19, 1904 1525971102 'iza/J'fio re,

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' UNITED STATES Patented May 23, 1905.

ELISHA MOORE, or BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SWITCH-OPERATING MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 790,450, dated May 23, 1905.

Application filed July 19, 1904. $erial No. 217,255.

To all whom it may concern:

anisms, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to switch-operating mechanisms, and particularly to automatic switch-operating mechanisms for railways.

Mechanisms of the class referred to have heretofore been constructed and arranged to be actuated by power taken from the trolley- .wire of a trolley-line, and the arrangement has been such that a trolley-car approaching a turnout or branch could automatically shift the switch-point when'desired, thus doing away with the services of a switchman.

It has also been customary to provide means whereby the operator on the approaching car' could control the switch-operating mechanism so as to direct the car either past or into the branch or turnout.

My invention has for its object to provide .an improved mechanism embodying such features, and particularly to simplify the construction and reduce the number of electric circuits and motors required in mechanisms of this class.

In my Improved switch-operating mechanism I employ anelectric motor in a circuit herein shown as connecting the trolley-wire of the railway with a contact arranged in the path of'a member carried by the car, such as the trolley, through which the motor-circuit is completed by grounding or otherwise'when' said member andcontact are brought together by the travel of the car past the latter. The

motor is connected, preferably, by the novel means hereinafter described with the switchpoint to be operated, and alternate closures of the motor-circuit, as described, shift'the switch-point in one direction, whilethe other closures of the motor-circuit shift the switchpoint in the opposite direction, thus enabling me to utilize one motor where two have heretofore been employed.

Another important feature of my invention is that I provide a movable bolt normally to lock the switch-point against accidental movement. This bolt is operated by the same motor that operates the switch-point or by a motor in circuit with the switch-operating motor, so that the movements of the bolt are not only accurately timed with respect to the movements imparted to the switch-point by the motor, but only two wires need be employed in my mechanism, one connecting the trolley-wire with the motor and the other connecting the motor with the contact above referred to. e

Other features of my invention, including the peculiarities of the mechanism connecting the motor and the switch-point, are hereinafter pointed out.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one embodiment of my invention, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view showing particularly the connections between the switchoperating motor, trolley-wire, and contact hereinafter described. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the mechanism connecting the motor and the switch-point and showing also the locking-bolt hereinafter described. Fig. 3 is a section on line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Figsret, 5, and

6 are details hereinafter described.

Having reference to the drawings, 1 represents aswitch-point, which may be at the juncture of a main-line track 2 2 with a siding turnout or branch track. (Not shown.) Switchpoint 1 is pivotally connected by a pin 3 with a slide 45, mounted in the wall of a box 5, buried between the railsQ 2 with its top flush with the road-bed. At its inner end slide t is pivotally connected to a rocker 6, mounted to vibrate upon trunnions journaled in a frame 7, fixed within box 5. Below rocker 6 is a bowspring 8, projecting at its upper end into a socket 9, formed in the under side of the hub of rocker 6, and at its lower end projecting into a socket 10 provided upon the top side of a rigid arm 71, projecting from frame 7. When rocker 6 during its vibrations occupies a vertical position, the axis on which it swings, as presently described, socket 9, and socket 10 are all three in line, and therefore it will be seen that when the rocker passes such vertical position spring 8 tends to hold it in the inclined position into which it has been moved whether that inclined position be at one side or the other of its axis.

Rocker 6 is made with two opposed shoulders 61, which cooperate with opposed pawls 11, both herein shown as integral with a stem 12, pivotally connected at its lower end to an armature 13. This stem '12 carries two pins. 121, between which projects the lower end of a resilient arm 14, fixed rigidly at its upper end to the hub of rocker 6.

Slide 4 is made with a notch or socket 41 to cooperate with a bolt 15, mounted to slide crosswise of slide 4 and guided by ways projecting from the inner side of'box 5, said bolt being connected at its lower end with armature 13. This'bolt normally-engages and locks slide 4 against movement, but is cut away, as to 151, so that by raising said bolt the slide can be freed. The armature 13 is swung upwardly on its pivot 131 by amagnet 16, fixed within box 5, said magnet and armature-constituting the electric motor referred to above. Downward movement-0f armature 13 is effected by gravity, which may, if desired, be assisted by a spring. (Not shown.) One end of the windingof magnet 16 is connected by a wire 17 with the trolley-wire 18 of the railway, and the other end of said windingis connected by a wire 1.9 with a contact 20, which is in the form of a sleeve surrounding but insulated from the trolley-wire 18. The contact is made with astem 201, fixed to but insulated from a hanger 21, which may beconnected in the ordinary manner with the usual supporting-wires. (Not shown.)

When a car, of which A, B, C, D, and E represent diagrammatically the trolley,-controller,motor, one of the wheels, and the connections, respectively, passes contact 20 with the controller B closed, said contact is connected through the car with theground or other return, and magnet 16 is therefore en ergized and caused to lift'armature 13. If stem 12 occupies the inclined position shown in Fig. 2, this upward movement of armature 13 moves the pawl 11 at the right into engagement with its cooperating shoulder 61 and at the sametime lifts bolt 15 out of engagement with slide 4. Sufficient lost motion is provided between the pawl and shoulder to permit armature 13 to free bolt 15 from slide 4 before pawl 11 engages its cooperating shoulder-61. Continued upward movement of armature 13 causes the right-hand pawl 11 to swing rocker 6 from the inclined position shown across its axis to its other extreme and oppositely-inclined position, where it is held by spring 8,the left-hand pawl passing by its shoulder. During this swinging movement of rocker 6 the resilient arm 14 is carried therewith. but in the opposite direction, pressing on the pin 121'in its path. and for the-time being opposed to it. Upon the downward movement of armature 13 and of the pawls shoulder and is urged by spring-arm 14 against the rocker, slips under 'its shoulder, :thus allowing stem 12 to swing over its pivot under the influence of spring 14 and to the right in Fig. 2, carrying the right-hand pawl 11 out of engagement with rocker 6 and the lefthand pawlinto position to engage therewith upon its next upward stroke. When trolley A passes off from contact 20, magnet 16 is denergized and armature 13 is dropped, leaving rocker 6 and stem 12 in the inclined position into which they were shifted upon the upstroke of armature 13. The downward movement of bolt 15 with the armature when 'tu re 13 the bolt 15 is again operated to free slide 4; but this time the left-hand pawl 11 engagesits cooperating shoulder61 and swings rocker 6, slide 4, and point 1 back to their first position again. During this return movement of rocker 4 the arm 14 engages the other pin, 121,and stem 12 is thus also returned to its first position -again,carr-ying the lefthand pawl 11 out of engagement with the rocker 6 and the right-hand pawl 11 back into engagement with said rocker. Upon the downstroke of armature 13 bolt 15 is returned to engagement with socket 41. When it is desired to have the car pass contact 20 without shifting switch-point 1, the motorman will open controller B just before contact 20 is reached by trolley A and hold said controller open until trolley A has passed said contact. It will thus be seen that alternate operations of the electric motor, herein shown as made up of magnet 16 and armature 13, shift the switch in one direction, and the other operations of said motor shift said switch in the opposite direction, and this mode ofoperation is a distinguishing feature of my invention. Another feature characteristic of my mechanism, as will be seen, is that the locking-bolt isoperated by this same motor to free slide 4 and switch 1 each time said motor is operated regardless of the direction in which the switch is being shifted.

What I claim is- 1. In a switch-operating mechanism the combination with the switch of a railway, of a cireuitcontrolled by carstraveling past said switch; an electric motorin said circuit; means through which alternate operations of said circuit and motor shift the switch in one direction and the other operations of said circuit and motor shift the switch in the opposite direction; a bolt normally locking the switch in position, and means to operate the bolt and unlock the switch each time the circuit and motor are operated.

2. In a switch-operating mechanism, the

combination with the switch of a railway, of a circuit controlled by cars traveling past said switch; an electric motor in said circuit; 'a bolt normally locking the switch in position, and means connecting said motor with the switch and bolt through which alternate operations of said circuit and motor operate the bolt and shift the switch in one direction, while the other operations of said circuit and motor also operate the bolt but shift the switch in the opposite direction.

3. In a switch-operating mechanism, the combination with the switch of a railway, of a rocker connected with the switch; two opposed pawls for operating the rocker; means controlled by cars passing said switch for reciprocating the pawls, and means through which the rocker shifts the pawls so thatthey alternately engage and thereby vibrate the rocker.

4. In a switch-operating mechanism, the combination with the switch of a railway, of a rocker connected with the switch; two opposed pawls for operating the rocker; means through which the rocker shifts the pawls so that they alternately engage the rocker; a motor for reciprocating the pawls, and a motor circuit controlled by cars passing the switch.

5. In ,a switch-operating mechanism, the combination with the switch of a railway, of a rocker connected. with the switch; two opposed pawls for operating the rocker; means controlling the pawls so that they alternately engage the rocker; a motor for reciprocating the pawls; a motor-circuit controlled by cars.

passing the switch; and a bolt for normally locking the switch connected with and operated by said motor.

6. In a switch-operating mechanism, the combination with the switch of a railway, of a slide connected with the switch; 'a rocker connected with the slide; two opposed pawls for operating the rocker; means controlling the pawls so that they alternately engage the rocker; a motor for reciprocating the pawls; a motor-circuit controlled by cars passing the switch; and a bolt normally engaging the slide to lockthe switch and connected'with and operated by said motor.

'Z. The combination with a rocker made with opposed shoulders, of two opposed pawls each cooperating with one of the shoulders on the rocker; means through which therocker controls the pawls so that when actuated they alternately engage the shoulders; and means to reciprocate the pawls.

8. The combination with a'rocker made with opposed shoulders, of two opposed pawls each cooperating with one of the shoulders on the rocker; means through which the rocker controls thepawls so that when actuated they almember connected with both pawls, and means to move the actuating member back and forth to reciprocate the-pawls.

9. The combination with a rocker made with opposed shoulders, of two opposed pawls each cooperating with one of the shoulders on the rocker; a connection between the pawls and rocker through which movement of the latter shifts the pawls so that when actuated they alternately engage the shoulders; and means to reciprocate the pawls.

10. The combination with a rocker made with opposed shoulders, of two opposed pawls each cooperating with one of the shoulders on the rocker; a spring connecting the rocker and pawls for controlling the latter so that when actuated they alternately engage the shoulders, and means to reciprocate the pawls.

11. The combination with a'spring-assisted rocker made with opposed shoulders, of two opposed pawls each cooperating with one of the shoulders on the rocker; a spring connecting the rocker and pawls for controlling the latter so that when actuated they alternately engage the shoulders, and means to reciprocate the pawls.

12. The combination with a rocker made with opposed shoulders, of two opposed pawls each cooperating with one of the shoulders on the rocker; a stem to which the pawls are rigidlyconnected; a vibrating member to which the stem is pivotally connected and a resilient arm connected with the rocker for swinging the stem on its pivot so that the pawls alternately engage the rocker when reciprocated by thevibrating member.

18. The combination with a rocker made with opposed shoulders, of two opposed pawls each cooperating with one of the shoulders on the rocker; a stem to which the pawls are rigidly connected; a vibrating member to which the stem is pivotally connected a resilient arm connected with the rocker for swinging the stem on its pivot so that the pawls alternately engage the rocker when reciprocated by the vibrating member, and a double-acting spring for assisting the rocker when the stem is shifted by the resilient arm.

14. The combination with a rocker made with opposed shoulders, of two opposed pawls each cooperating with one of the shoulders on the rocker; means through which the rocker shifts the pawls so that when actuated they alternately engage the shoulders; an armature connected with the pawls, and a magnet to oper" ate the armature and reciprocate the pawls.

.Signed by me at Boston, Massachusetts, this 15th day of July, 1904:.

ELISHA MOORE. Witnesses: 1

JOSEPH T. BRENNAN,

ROBERT CUsHMAN. 

